The Value of Protection

Buying a new home is possibly one of life’s biggest and most exciting events. It’s also a major financial commitment – one that could be with you for 25 years or more.

Your ability to maintain your mortgage payments relies on a constant income, so how would you continue to make your mortgage repayments if your income was reduced – or stopped? Here we look at two similar scenarios with very different outcomes.

David

David arranged a new mortgage with his financial adviser. They discussed protection insurance and David agreed to take out cover so that he could maintain the mortgage repayments if he had to stop work because of serious illness.

As a father of two, David also wanted cover so that he could help maintain his family’s lifestyle. The mortgage went through and the protection insurance was put in place.

Feeling unwell just a few weeks later, David went to his GP for a check-up. After numerous tests he received the shocking diagnosis of thyroid cancer. David stopped work and started treatment.

His adviser supported him through the claims process and the insurer paid the claim promptly and in full. Rather than having to worry about his financial situation, David was free to cope with a tough treatment regime and concentrate on getting better.

Thanks to his protection insurance, David maintained his mortgage payments and monthly bills. He even treated his family to a holiday as part of his recuperation. David made a full recovery, returned to work and life continued as normal.

Jane

Jane arranged a new mortgage with her financial adviser. She was advised to take out protection insurance that would cover the mortgage payments and help maintain her family’s lifestyle in the event she had to stop work due to serious illness. After thinking about the cost of the cover and the likelihood of having to claim, Jane declined.

Feeling overly tired a short while after the mortgage was put in place, Jane went to see her GP. After numerous tests she received the shocking diagnosis of thyroid cancer.

Jane had to stop work and apply for Statutory Sick Pay at the same time as coping with a tough treatment regime and looking after her kids. She started to struggle to cover her outgoings and had to use all her savings.

Unfortunately, Jane was forced to sell her house and move into a smaller property, turning her and her kids’ lives upside down. Even though she wasn’t quite ready to, Jane had to return to work.

The importance of protection

You might be like Jane and think that it won’t happen to you, but one in two people born after 1960 in the UK will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime and four in five people with cancer are affected financially.

And if you think that protection policies don’t pay out, they do. In 2016 15,464 critical illness claims were made and 92.2% paid out an average £68,000.

There is a range of products available that can provide a lump sum or a regular income on death or diagnosis of a specified critical illness and they could cost less than you think.

Making sure you have the right protection in place is important. We can review your circumstances and the cover options available to you.

YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.